Agilent ICP-MS Journal (June 2012 – Issue 50)

Importance of the Topic

This special issue of the Agilent ICP-MS Journal highlights the expanding impact of advanced elemental and speciation analysis in diverse fields such as natural history conservation, food safety, quality control of herbal medicines, and sustainable laboratory practices. It showcases how state-of-the-art instrumentation and methodologies enhance sensitivity, selectivity, and throughput while minimizing environmental and safety risks.

Objectives and Study Overview

The issue presents a user article on chemical profiling of crocodilian skins by LA-ICP-MS, four new food safety application notes demonstrating multielement and speciation methods, a trade-in program for platinum cones to reduce cost and waste, the shipment milestone of the 1000th Agilent 7700 Series ICP-MS, the opening of a spectroscopy demo lab in Waldbronn, and an on-demand webinar on the 8800 ICP-QQQ.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Laser ablation ICP-MS: Agilent 7500cs coupled to New Wave UP193FX, tuned for low oxide and double-charged ratios, using helium carrier gas and reduced laser fluence to map As, Pb and other elements in alligator and dwarf crocodile skins.
• Multielement food analysis: Agilent 7700x ICP-MS operated in helium collision mode for interference removal, paired with microwave digestion for a range of food matrices.
• Mercury speciation in foods: HPLC coupled to 7700x ICP-MS for rapid separation and quantification of four Hg species without derivatization.
• Chinese herbal medicine analysis: Agilent 4100 MP-AES after microwave digestion, offering ppb detection limits for toxic and beneficial trace metals.
• GC-ICP-MS, octopole collision cell, and optional discrete sampling accessories enhance speed and reliability across protocols.

Key Results and Discussion

• LA-ICP-MS depth profiling revealed a subsurface arsenical layer in the alligator skin, absent in the dwarf crocodile, guiding safe exhibit display.
• Helium collision mode on the 7700x achieved elimination of polyatomic interferences, allowing accurate quantification of elements from certified reference foods with recoveries within 90–110%.
• HPLC-ICP-MS method delivered baseline separation of methylmercury and inorganic species in under three minutes with background equivalent concentrations below 20 ppt.
• MP-AES measurements of traditional Chinese medicines agreed closely with certified values, with detection limits below 3 ppb and excellent precision.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Enables museums to non-destructively verify preservation treatments and ensure visitor safety.
• Supports regulatory compliance and authenticity testing in food and beverage industries.
• Provides a cost-effective route for labs to recycle valuable platinum cones and maintain instrument performance.
• Expands access to cutting-edge spectroscopy through dedicated demo facilities and online seminars.

Future Trends and Opportunities

• Broader adoption of triple quadrupole ICP-MS (8800) for complex matrices and low-level speciation.
• Integration of automated sample handling, discrete sampling devices, and fast gradient chromatography.
• Growth of benchtop MP-AES systems for routine multi-element analysis in food, pharma, and herbal products.
• Continued expansion of demo labs and eSeminars to accelerate technology transfer and user training.

Conclusion

This issue demonstrates how evolving ICP-MS and optical emission platforms deliver unparalleled analytical performance across applications, from conservation science to food safety and beyond. The combination of robust hardware, innovative collision/reaction cells, and streamlined workflows addresses emerging challenges while promoting sustainability and accessibility.

References

Williams ER and Jeffries T. Chemical Characterization of Alligator and Dwarf Crocodile Skin by LA-ICP-MS. Agilent ICP-MS Journal, June 2012, Issue 50.
Agilent Technologies. Enhancing the Productivity of Food Sample Analysis with the 7700x ICP-MS. Application Note 5991-0107EN.
Agilent Technologies. Benefits of HPLC-ICP-MS Coupling for Mercury Speciation in Food. Application Note 5991-0066EN.
Agilent Technologies. Trace Elemental Analysis of Distilled Alcoholic Beverages Using the 7700x ICP-MS. Application Note 5990-9971EN.
Agilent Technologies. Analysis of Chinese Herbal Medicines by MP-AES. Application Note 5990-9791EN.